NEWS 8. THERE IS GROWING DEBATE IN YORK COUNTY ABOUT WHETHER TAXPAYERS SHOULD SPEND NEARLY 75-MILLION- DOLLARS TO RENOVATE THREE SCHOOLS IN R-S-U 21. KENNEBUNK HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATIONS COME WITH A 54-MILLION PRICE TAG, WHILE UPGRADES TO ARUNDEL'S MILDRED L. DAY SCHOOL WOULD COST $11 MILLION. RENOVATIONS TO KENNEBUNKPORT'S CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL WOULD COST $10 MILLION. W-M-T-W NEWS 8'S PAUL MERRILL JOINS US LIVE NOW IN OUR STUDIO. SHOT INTRO IF YOU LIVE IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OWN A HOME WORTH $250 THOUSAND, THIS PLAN COULD ADD MORE THAN $300 TO YOUR ANNUAL PROPERTY TAX BILL IN COMING YEARS. OPPONENTS SAY THIS IS PRICING THEM OUT OF THEIR HOMES BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS THE PROPOSED SCHOOL RENOVATIONS ARE LONG OVERDUE. "This is the worst that's lately happened. We had ceiling tiles come down. Water came in. It was a partial condensation and leak." THE GUTS OF KENNEBUNK HIGH SCHOOL ARE HANGING DOWN INTO CLASSROOMS IN SOME PLACES. PARTS OF THE FACILITY DATE BACK TO BEFORE WORLD WAR II. ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL BRUCE LEWIA SAYS THE HIGH SCHOOL'S AGE CREATES DAILY CHALLENGES THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH TEACHING STUDENTS. "We've learned to problem-solve, but wouldn't it be nice if you weren't problem solving around things that involve the physical plant?" R-S-U 21 LEADERS SAY THINGS ARE EQUALLY AS DIRE AT THE KENNEBUNKPORT CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL AND AT THE MILDRED L. DAY SCHOOL IN ARUNDEL, WHERE PARTS OF THE BUILDING ARE PULLING AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. "About one half of the building was built on marine clay approximately 35 years ago and that building is settling at the rate of one-half inch per year and has been for 35 years." "There isn't any question that our schools need some remediation - especially the high school - but what's been proposed is way beyond what's critical." KENNEBUNK RESIDENT AND BUSINESSMAN JEFF COLE AND OTHERS SAY THE PROPOSED RENOVATION PLANS ARE TOO LAVISH. OF PARTICULAR CONCERN: A STAND- ALONE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. DISTRICT OFFICIALS ARE HOPING TO RAISE $20 MILLION IN PRIVATE DONATIONS TO SUPPLEMENT $10 MILLION IN TAXPAYER MONEY. "We want to see our tax dollars used and spent sensibly." R-S-U 21'S SUPERINTENDENT SAYS A VOTE AGAINST THIS PLAN IS NOT NECESSARILY A VOTE TO SAVE THE DISTRICT MONEY. "To meet the needs of our student programming, there isn't another option that will be much less expensive." SHOT TAG VOTERS WILL GO TO THE POLLS TO DECIDE NEXT TUESDAY. LIVE IN THE STUDIO, PAUL